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Uttar Pradesh

Mahoba (Chandela Lakes)

Chandela lakes cut into granite hills, temple ruins standing in the water

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Best time to visit Mahoba (Chandela Lakes)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to February
  • Shoulder: March and July to October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: April to June

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Mahoba (Chandela Lakes) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Nov to Feb runs 7C to 26C, right for walking the Madan Sagar bund to the half sunken Shiva temple and climbing Gokhar hill at dawn

Summer March to May Shoulder

Bundelkhand bakes: April past 42C, May and June near 47C with the granite throwing heat back and the tanks dropping. Sit it out

Monsoon June to September Shoulder

July and August refill the Chandela tanks and green the hills; Kajli Mela packs the town for a week around Raksha Bandhan

Autumn October to November Prime time

October and November are the clean weeks: full lakes, cool mornings, the Rahila sun temple and the Jain rock carvings to yourself

What Mahoba (Chandela Lakes) is actually like

A small Bundelkhand town with plain hotels near the junction; evenings are chai stalls, paan shops and the lake bund

Things to do in Mahoba

The local places worth your time in and around Mahoba, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Madan Sagar

    Lake · 1 km out

    Lake of the Chandela king Madanavarman (c. 1128 to 1165); ruined Shiva and Vishnu temples stand around it

  • Kirat Sagar

    Lake · 2 km out

    Lake believed to have been commissioned by the Chandela king Kirttivarman, who ruled c. 1060 to 1100

  • Gokhar Hill

    Heritage · 2 km out

    Granite hill above Mahoba known for its 24 rock cut images of the Jain tirthankaras

  • Rahilya Sun Temple

    Temple · 4 km out

    Ninth century granite sun temple in Pratihara style at Rahilya Sagar, the lake named after king Rahila

  • Charkhari Fort

    Fort · 24 km out

    Hill fort above Charkhari, the Kashmir of Bundelkhand, a town ringed by lakes such as Vijay Sagar and Malkhan Sagar

Getting to Mahoba (Chandela Lakes)

Mahoba Junction sits on the Jhansi to Khajuraho line, 3h from Jhansi and 2h from Khajuraho; autos reach every lake

Practical ways in: trainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Quiet at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
212 m
State
Uttar Pradesh
Coordinates
25.2887, 79.8792

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Mahoba (Chandela Lakes)?

November to February is peak season in Mahoba (Chandela Lakes). March and July to October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. October and November are the clean weeks: full lakes, cool mornings, the Rahila sun temple and the Jain rock carvings to yourself.

How many days do you need in Mahoba (Chandela Lakes)?

2 days is the usual stay. A small Bundelkhand town with plain hotels near the junction; evenings are chai stalls, paan shops and the lake bund.

How do you get to Mahoba (Chandela Lakes)?

Mahoba Junction sits on the Jhansi to Khajuraho line, 3h from Jhansi and 2h from Khajuraho; autos reach every lake. Practical ways in: train and road.

Is Mahoba (Chandela Lakes) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Is there a festival in Mahoba (Chandela Lakes)?

Aug: Kajli Mela at Kirat Sagar. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Mahoba?

Madan Sagar, Kirat Sagar, Gokhar Hill, Rahilya Sun Temple and Charkhari Fort. Lake of the Chandela king Madanavarman (c. 1128 to 1165); ruined Shiva and Vishnu temples stand around it.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Uttar Pradesh

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